Tuesday, June 29, 2010

The Wonder of Beads and Ring Twenty-nine

The Color of Sound by photoboothguy
The Color Of Sound
Photo Credit: photoboothguy.

Seed beads have a great advantage over other colorful art materials like paint, fabric and paper. If you could find opaque seed beads, and transparent ones, in exactly the same shade of cobalt blue, they would look absolutely nothing alike. And what’s more, they would react in totally different ways to other beads and colors. The way each type of bead finish plays with light creates a totally unique color experience. It’s no wonder that a beader can never have enough - there are thousands to choose from, and each one is totally different from the last.

Today’s ring uses a zesty and zany combination of transparent cobalt and chartreuse, with a little fiber optic pink to top it off. It really pops! Replace either the green or blue with an opaque version, and the ring would look completely different. Or, try picturing it with all color-lined seed beads instead. It’s not the same at all. You could say that none of these options is better or worse than the others, but I’m awfully fond of the glow that occurs when the transparent beads pick up the sunlight.

Atlantis Star Ring by The Sage's Cupboard
Ring # 29 - Atlantis Star

Transparent cobalt has always been one of my all time favorite bead colors. I have a pretty large collection of perfectly round cobalt blue Lucite beads that I may never have the courage to part with. Even when I was using plastic beads, I hardly ever used my blue ones. They glow and shimmer in a way that makes my inner magpie drool and do cartwheels. I will probably be stuck with them forever, like some kind of vanity related baggage.

I made “Atlantis Star” to match my entry for the Etsy BeadWeavers July challenge, which is still a work in progress. I have a pretty good stash of transparent cobalt Miyuki seed beads, but I don’t mind parting with them, because I can always get more.

Copyright 2010 Inspirational Beading and The Sage's Cupboard


6 comments:

  1. I have loved your personal challenge this month! You are braver than I - I can't fathom making rings.

    My favorite thus far has been your palm tree inspired one and your black forest cherry with the pinch beads.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I like day-twenty-seven Indigo ring, nice soft colors while Atlantis is really out there gorgeous fresh colors. The design is different and very effective. Thanks

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  3. Thank you! No matter how many designs I try, I just keep coming back to the starfish. They have so much personality, it's hard to choose another focal over them.

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  4. I like to bead, however I have never tried beading a ring. I am going to try making the starfish. I love this site.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Elba! Beaded rings are great instant gratification projects. You can find tutorials for both the herringbone band and beaded starfish here:

      www.etsy.com/shop/sagescupboard?section_id=7382948

      Delete

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